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The house was large, even by the standards of the area in which they lived, but the word mansion that was occasionally suggested by their friends was still an exaggeration. It was old but well maintained with well-manicured gardens and decorated in a grand, often quirky, but tasteful manner. A combination of the age of the house with its overall atmosphere and ambiance, one could be forgiven for assuming it had a number of secret passages hidden behind panelled walls and book cases. The occupants thought so too and had spent many long hours in countless fruitless searches. As yet, they had found none, but they didn't intend to give up - their imagination and longing for adventure almost demanded there should be some and they were determined to find them.

The building would comfortably have housed a large family of six or more, but in reality its only occupants were two boys, still in their mid to late teens. With the younger of those boys at school, the house should have been virtually silent but the clatter of footsteps running down the hallway filled the otherwise silent rooms and culminated in a loud flump; the sound of a boy in his late teens almost hurling himself onto a deep, leather couch that almost enveloped him as he crashed against it with enough force to drive the air from its cushions. The boy's name was Gerard, the elder of the two boys living in the overly large house. In his hand was a large envelope, possibly containing the key to his future and he was eager to open it.

Pushing his black floppy hair away from his eyes, Gerard tore back the gummed flap of the large packet envelope taking great care not to rip it and pulled out the contents with a combination of eager anticipation and reverence. He had an idea from the included information pack and brochure that it was good news, but he wanted to read the words in the letter for himself before he let go of the excited breath he was holding. He had applied to three colleges, this letter was a reply from his first choice and also the last to arrive. Whatever the response, he was assured a place in either of his other two selections, but this was the one he really wanted. Scanning down the letter to the all-important line, Gerard beamed with delight as he was informed of an unconditional offer. He hadn't expected that, not even in his wildest imagination. Yes, he hoped for an offer, but given how prestigious the college was, he expected the offer to be conditional on the highest of grades. He clutched the letter as if hugging it, beyond excited, he knew the first person he had to call.

His eyes darted around the room, searching for his phone. Had he left it in his bedroom? Was it in the car? No, he'd used it as an alarm clock this morning. Bedroom. Racing to the bedroom, he braced himself against the doorframe as he leaned in, hoping to see it before committing himself to entering. Gerard screwed up his face in frustration as he continued to stare. The bedroom could be tidier, no, it could be a lot tidier, but at this stage in the day, his phone could only be on top of something. There hadn't been time for it to be covered by anything just yet. As he thought about where to look next, he was startled by a vibration coming from his jeans' back pocket and he sighed, allowing his shoulders to drop in defeat. Well, at least he'd found it. Grabbing it from his pocket, his eyes lit up as he saw the incoming call was from his younger brother, Mikey.

Mikey and Gerard were obviously brothers merely from their looks, both dark-haired and handsome with intense sparkling eyes and smiles that could melt hearts at fifty paces. Even their bearing, mannerisms and interests were similar. The only things that really set them apart were Gerard's artistic talents and a tendency to be more outspoken than his brother.

"Mikey!" He called cheerfully into the phone immediately on answering. "I got it!"

"Got what?" Came the somewhat confused reply. "Because if it's catching, I'm not coming back tonight!"

"The offer," Gerard replied, his voice still buoyed with delight, despite his brother's flippant reply. "From the college," he added. "I thought you'd be more interested. Or at least remember," he chided.

A laugh emerged from the other end of the phone line.

"Of course I'm interested," Mikey chuckled. "You have no idea how invested I am in this."

"Are you being sarcastic?" Gerard asked, his voice taking on a slow, carful pace. Mikey could almost see his brother frowning into his cellphone.

"No!" Mikey stopped laughing but still sounded cheerful. "I'm serious. This is important stuff and I love you, Gee. I really care about where you go to college."

"Thanks, Mikes, you're the best. Wait till you hear this! This is my first choice college," Gerard continued. "and they gave me an unconditional offer! Can you believe that?"

Mikey laughed again, raising Gerard's suspicions once more until he spoke.

"Of course I believe it," he chuckled. "Are you going to accept it?"

"Mikey, it's my first choice college and they've given me an unconditional offer," Gerard's pitch rose a few tones as he spoke, unable to believe the question had been asked. "Of course I'm accepting! We need to celebrate. When will you be home tonight?"

"Hang on," Mikey replied. "I need to check my timetable, see which classes I can blow off."

"None of them!" Gerard insisted. "An education is important. College, Mikey. Don't you want to go too?"

"Oh, I do, Gee, definitely. Don't worry about that." Mikey paused for a few moments. "I can be home by four, I guess. We can celebrate with pizza and a movie marathon. How about that?"

"That sounds great! Thanks, Mikes, I'll see you later."

"Before you go," Mikey added quickly.

"Yeah?"

"Have you had any more of those weird dreams lately?"

The pause after the question told Mikey more than any reply could have.

"Yeah, I had two last night and this time you were in them," Gerard replied, his voice reflecting his deeply unsettled feelings.

"I was in them?" Mikey replied with surprise. "What happened?"

"Uh... I'll tell you tonight. They were pretty odd and I don't really want to get into it now."

"Okay, Gee," Mikey replied with a sympathetic tone. "But you know they're just dreams, don't you?"

"Yeah, but..." Gerard paused. "I'll tell you tonight."

"Okay, Gee, I'll see you later. Pick out the movies you want to watch and get the Dominos site ready. I'm in the mood for a couple of sides of chicken too!"

"Okay," Gerard laughed, his mood picking up once more. "You can have whatever you want. See you later. Bye Mikes."

"Bye Gee!"

Gerard hung up and placed the phone down on the seat beside him. Picking up the offer letter once more, his grin widening as he read the words once more. He was off to art college and he couldn't have been happier.

*

Mikey too lowered the phone and pursed his lips. A third offer from art colleges including an unconditional offer from his first choice; he had done really well. But that was Gerard, his artwork and imagination was amazing. It was a shame he wasn't going to get to go to any of those colleges, but there was a very impressive art department in the college Mikey had in mind for him. He felt certain he would be happy there, but he couldn't help feeling a little guilty.

"Getting sloppy, Mikeyway," a voice called behind him. "He saw you in his dreams?"

Mikey turned to the source of the voice. Sitting atop the bed in the poster covered dorm room was his friend, Frank: shorter, younger, with black hair and impossibly perfect eyes. Frank, it seemed, could look directly into Mikey's thoughts. Pulling his lips into a thin line, Frank was shaking his head slowly. The expression on his face, aside from anything else, made it perfectly clear to Mikey that he was judging him.

"So, he saw me! So what?" Mikey replied both defiant and defensive. "It's not like he knows they're real, is it?"

"He's not stupid, Mikey," Frank leaned back on the bed and reached for the joint barely hiding inside a packet of cigarettes - neither of which were allowed in the Academy. Lighting it up, he took a long drag, inhaling deeply before breathing out the smoke, forming rings at first, followed by cubes, then much more intricate shapes.

"You're not supposed to do that in here," Mikey admonished the younger boy.

"And you're not supposed to invade his dreams," Frank replied with a raised eyebrow, continuing the judgemental theme of his words. "And you're definitely not supposed to get caught doing it!"

Mikey rolled his eyes and shook his head, irritated by the reply.

"He thinks they're just dreams! That's all. He's not going to ask me why I'm in them, is he?"

Frank smirked as he stared back, placing the joint back into his mouth he inhaled yet again. With the drug starting to take effect, he found his smirk broadening into a lazy grin and he giggled at the response.

"Well, what do you think he's going to do when he finds out they are real?" He asked, tipping his head and giggling once more as he saw the look of frustration and borderline panic in his friend's eyes.

"How's he going to find that out?" Mikey asked. "Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't need to," Frank laughed, waving his arms expansively. "He's going to end up here and when he gets here, he's going to find out, isn't he?"

Mikey paled as he thought about Frank's words.

"He's going to find out everything," Frank warned. "Including the dreams."

Mikey paused for a few moments while he let the words truly sink in.

"Maybe... maybe I need to speak to the Principal?" He finally replied.

"For crying out loud, Mikes! It's just a joint!" Frank complained through the hazy fog of his thoughts. "It's the only way I can switch my brain off!"

"Oh, please!" Mikey scoffed. "You're not the only one with an overactive brain. Do you think it's easy for me?"

Not replying in words, Frank merely offered the joint, stretching out his arm without moving from the comfort of his position, slumped on the bed. Stepping forward, Mikey took the proffered spliff.

"This'll wear off by four, yeah?" Mikey asked, aware that he had to appear sober by the time he got home.

Frank glanced at his watch and nodded.

"Sadly," he sighed.

Inhaling deeply, Mikey felt his shoulders relax for the first time since his conversation with Gerard. Handing the joint back to Frank as he flopped down beside him on the bed, relaxing into the comfort, Mikey sighed.

"I didn't mean about that," Mikey continued, pointing with a lazily aimed finger at the cigarette nestled loosely between Frank's lips. "I meant about Gee."

Frank nodded, his mind now hazy and seemingly packed with cotton.

"Might be better, you know," he nodded. "If anyone's going to take the flak for getting him here, it really shouldn't be you. It wasn't even your idea."

"It was my idea to look into it," Mikey admitted.

"Really?" Frank replied, offering his friend a puzzled expression. "Why?"

Mikey sighed again as he took a draw on the joint once more.

"I thought it would be easier coming from me," he shook his head. "I'm starting to doubt it now."

A long silence hung in the room while the two boys quietly finished the joint between them.

"You know," Frank finally broke the stillness. "It sounds like his heart's set on this art college. So, I think if he's going to be angry with anyone it really ought to be Principal Scott. Not you."

Mikey nodded, his face a mask of thoughtful concentration.

"You're right," he nodded. "I'll speak to him... after this wears off," he added with a light laugh. "Got any snacks?"

Frank grinned at the question. It was a pleasant change to see Mikey this relaxed and chill, even if it took one of his finest to do it.

"Always," he beamed.

Reaching awkwardly for his night stand, he opened the small cupboard door and a plethora of chips and other snacks tumbled to the floor. He found himself laughing before he even realise it, at first loudly before clamping a hand over his mouth in an overly dramatic attempt to silence himself. Mikey chuckled at the response while Frank grabbed a couple of bags of whatever was nearest. Vaguely in the back of his mind, Mikey made a mental note not to eat too much. There was pizza and chicken in his immediate future, the thought somehow making him laugh even more.



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A/N - Hi lovely readers. Bit of an odd start, but bear with me. Hopefully it'll make sense soon. This one goes out to Haushinka02 who asked for a story set in a college or university. I hope you like it! I hope you all like it! :D

Sas xx